Northbrook candidates challenge caucus through primary

January 08, 2013|By Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune reporter

(Tribune illustration)

In what some are calling an unprecedented move, a group of Northbrook government hopefuls are mounting a challenge to the village's caucus-backed candidates by establishing themselves as the Democratic party in the February primary election.

"We're changing the way elections are done by going partisan," said Eugene Marks, former Northbrook village president who is seeking a return to the village's top position.

Marks, former Trustee Julius Kole, Lynn Ritz and Daniel Scott, have filed as write-in candidates under the Democrat party in the Feb. 26 primary election.

"That was what we wanted to do: come in as a party rather than independents," Kole said. "We could have individually submitted an application but we preferred to run together."

By establishing themselves as a political party prior to the April election, Marks said his group has the best chance of toppling the village's caucus candidates — all incumbents — by drawing from a larger base of support.

"The caucus is a bunch of people who want to get together and run the village," Marks said. "It's not a normal, fair and reasonable political campaign, which our country is based on."

Northbrook's caucus system, established in the 1980s, relies on volunteers to vet candidates before recommending at a town meeting a slate of candidates for election to the village's various governing bodies. Those individuals not recommended by the caucus can vie for a spot in the caucus slate at that town meeting, or can challenge the caucus in the general election — as Marks and Kole did successfully in 2005.

Supporters say the caucus system encourages civic engagement.

"I think the caucus system is absolutely fair," said Kathryn Ciesla, a current trustee running for re-election under the Northbrook Caucus of 2013 slate of candidates. "Members of the caucus are folks who represent a diverse group of people in the community who want to be involved. There are so many opportunities for the public to be involved and for people to be vetted."

Ciesla joins fellow trustees Todd Heller and Michael Scolaro as caucus candidates seeking the three trustee spots in April. Current village President Sandra Frum is also a caucus candidate seeking re-election.

Frum, who started in Northbrook government in 1983 as a plan commission member, said she welcomes the challenge and is "looking forward to explaining what I hope to accomplish and making a case."

"Four years ago, when I ran for village president, we made a commitment that we would be a board that is accountable, transparent, proactive and objective," she said. "I think we've done that."

If re-elected, Frum said she and her fellow board members would continue work on storm water management planning and on keeping an open channel of dialogue between the village and its business and industrial community.

"There are businesses showing us they are interested in coming to Northbrook," she said, referring to separate proposals from Wal-Mart and one for a Mariano's grocery store and apartment complex — both still in the early stages of development.

Frum would not say whether she supported either proposal, but said the village should not close the door on any development proposal before hearing all the available information.

"The whole point is to have an open process where we listen to the community and we don't make a decision before something is presented," she said. "It's really important that we don't cut off discussion and let everyone make a decision after we have all the information."

Marks also would not commit to a position for or against Wal-Mart's proposal. But he criticized the current village administration for creating what he called an "unfriendly" business environment.

"When (Kole) and I left the last time, the village had been in the best financial shape," he said. "We were business friendly. Morale was up. Things were running phenomenal."